JIM BARNA BRINGS A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE TO EMPLOYMENT LAW REPRESENTATION. Throughout his career, Jim Barna has focused his practice on employment law. Jim did his undergraduate studies at Syracuse University and Stony Brook University. Jim attended law school at Washington University in St. Louis, a Top Twenty law school with an extensive employment law curriculum. While in law school, he had the opportunity to work for a national leader in employment law and womens rights litigation, Mary Anne Sedey. “From Mary Anne Sedey, I saw that big cases can bring big changes, and that a life devoted...

Brian J. LaClair represents private and public sector labor unions, employee benefit plans and individuals in a broad variety of labor and employment matters.
Brian’s practice focuses on litigation, including federal court litigation, labor and employment litigation, ERISA litigation, labor arbitrations, proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board, employment discrimination, and employee benefits matters. Brian also provides pro bono representation to indigent persons seeking unemployment insurance benefits.
Prior to joining Blitman & King LLP, Brian was an associate in the litigation department at a major international law firm in New York City. Before that, Brian served as law...

Henry F. Sobota is a graduate of Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations and of the Albany Law School. He served as Deputy Counsel for Labor Relations and Environmental Law while employed by the New York State School Boards Association for many years prior to entering private practice. He frequently lectures to public and private sector employer representatives and school-related organizations across the State. He is also an author of numerous articles and publications which have received high acclaim by experts in the field. Mr. Sobota concentrates much of his practice in the representation of school districts,...

Bryan Arnault’s practice is primarily focused in labor and employment law. His representation of private and public sector labor unions involves the research, counseling and dispute resolution of workplace issues that affect unions and their members. Bryan also represents individual employees in a variety of workplace issues.
Bryan’s representation includes the counseling of unions with the variety of challenges and conflicts that they and their members face in the modern workplace. This includes conflict resolution through arbitration, advising during the grievance process, and other avenues of dispute resolution. Through his counsel, Bryan seeks to develop...

Mr. Evans concentrates his practice in commercial litigation, labor and employment litigation, and education law. His commercial litigation practice includes the representation of a variety of business clients regarding contractual disputes, injunctive relief, matters raising questions of constitutional due process, regulatory compliance, labor and employment issues, as well as risk management. Mr. Evans also represents a number of insurance carriers concerning coverage and compliance issues. He also provides extensive litigation support to utility clients concerning regulatory matters, including issues regarding compliance with the New York Public Service Law, the regulations of the New York Public Service Commission, and Utility Tariffs....

Jonathan M. Cerrito counsels sponsors of multiemployer and single-employer plans, companies, tax-exempt entities and executives on all matters of tax, ERISA, employee benefits, nonqualified deferred compensation arrangements and the employee benefit aspects of mergers. Jonathan was named by the Whitman School of Management of Syracuse University as one of the 2009
-40 Under
- based on extraordinary achievement in his career and contributions to the community.
Jonathan regularly advises on the design, operation, merger and termination of tax-qualified pension plans and welfare benefit plans. His practice includes advising ERISA fiduciaries on the investment of plan assets, reporting and disclosure, prohibited transaction...

Michael R. Daum counsels clients on the rules and regulations set forth under the Internal Revenue Code and ERISA regarding the design, administration, merger and termination of qualified and nonqualified pension plans as well as health and welfare plans. Through his counsel, Mike seeks to assist his clients avoid complex regulatory issues before they arise.
In law school, Mike served as an extern for the Honorable David W. McKeague, Judge for the Sixth Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals. In addition, Mike served as research assistant for Mary A. Bedikian – Director of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Program at...

Employment Lawyers in Nearby Counties

Employment law governs the relationship between workers and their employers. This law, contained in federal and state statutes, administrative regulations, and judicial decisions, specifies the rights and restrictions applicable to each party in the workplace.

This area of law regulates such issues as employee benefits, discipline, hiring, firing, leave, payroll, and health and safety in the workplace. It also encompasses non-compete agreements, retaliation, severance, unemployment compensation, pensions, whistle-blowing, worker classification, wage garnishment, work authorization for non-U.S. citizens, worker's compensation, and employee handbooks.

Both federal and state laws govern the relationship between employees and employers. Federal laws such as Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Age Discrimination in Employment Act prohibit employers from discriminating against employees based on certain characteristics. Many states have enacted their own laws similar to federal ones (and sometimes are more stringent). Cities and counties also can enact ordinances that affect employee rights, such as local minimum wage laws.

Employment lawyers can choose to accept only employees as clients, only employers, or both. Some attorneys focus on a specific area of employment law, such as workers' compensation, whistleblowing or discrimination, but many can handle a wide range of employment law issues.

Essential job functions:
The fundamental job duties of the employment position that the individual with a disability holds or desires. The term essential functions does not include marginal functions of the position.

Exempt employee:
An employee who is not entitled to the minimum wage or overtime pay protections of the Fair Labor Standards Act.